Knight and Day
by Random Guise
Summary: Hubert Hawkins saved the heir apparent, the day and the kingdom in the movie "The Court Jester". Everything's great, right? Of course not, there are always complications even if you're the hero. I don't own the movie's characters and that's not Sir Prysin.


**A/N: A short follow-up to the 1955 Danny Kaye movie "The Court Jester" that takes place a few weeks after the ending of the movie.**

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Knight and Day

"Good morning, Sir Giacomo" The page greeted after being bid to come in after knocking.

"And to you, Nubert" the occupier of the room responded as he was finishing getting dressed.

"It's Norbert, Sir" the man correctly meekly.

"Just my point, Norbert. My name isn't Giacomo. I only took that name to sneak into the castle and end the illegal reign of King Roderick the Tyrant. I've tried to tell everyone, my name is Hubert Hawkins. Just Hubert Hawkins" he said spreading his arms wide. "No King of Jesters, no Protector of the Crown, just a Hubert Hawkins."

"With all due respect sir, you are not. Even under an assumed name, you are the best jester ever to visit the court in my many years as a page. Truly a 'King of Jesters'. And you were instrumental, if I might be so bold in saying so, in the removal of a cruel and unrightful ruler. In all truth he does as poor a job in the kitchen as he did as ruler, but the position he now holds is much more fitting. Surely that makes you a 'Protector of the Crown' by restoring the rightful heir to power."

"Technicalities, I assure you" Hawkins said as he struggled to get his foot into his boot. "They will be forgotten soon enough when the Regent gets his feet under him." Hawkins stood up with the boot on and prompted tripped over his own laces.

"I think not; regardless, you were duly knighted by the King before he was removed and you appear on the roles as 'Sir Giacomo' despite whatever name your parents gave you upon birth."

Hawkins looked up and down, studying his page. The grey hair and wrinkles were quite the contrast to a normal page's appearance. "Norbert, aren't you a little old to be a page? Is that why you know so much?"

"It's surprising what you learn when you've been around long enough. I would have been transferred to another position, but Sir Ravenhurst took a dislike to me and I've been left in this position" Norbert explained. "But I think he took a dislike to being cast into the sea even more" he added with a smile. Roderick's right-hand man had carried out the murder of most of the royal family and was planning on usurping the King himself until Hawkins arrived in the assumed identity of the assassin Ravenhurst had actually arranged to visit; his ruse wasn't discovered until after he had defeated Sir Griswald of McElwaine in a duel.

"I think there might be a sport in diving into water from great heights" Hawkins mused. "We'll have to leave out the sharks next time, though. There," he added, standing up after finishing the lacing on his boot successfully "that's done it. Lead on, Norbert. Get it?"

"Got it!"

"Good." Hawkins followed his page out of the room, leaving it open for the housemaids to tidy. They made their way down corridors and stairs until arriving at the main hall of the castle. The Captain of the Guard greeted them at the entrance, where the page split off to stand at the ready in the back of the great room until he was needed again. "Captain" Hawkins acknowledged.

"Sir Giacomo, the Regent awaits your arrival" the captain responded. Although a foe at the time of the unseating of Roderick, the captain's fealty was to the ruler on the throne; now that the legitimacy of that ruler was known, he had no qualms about serving a new liege. Hawkins' eye twitched briefly; a nervous habit he come to acquire every time he heard the name 'Giacomo' mentioned by anyone in authority. The two approached the throne.

The Regent, Ronald of Lemon the Fair, sat conversing with Hawkin's betrothed, Jean. Formerly a captain in the Black Fox's resistance movement when he had fallen in love with her, she had now returned his feelings and the two had exchanged with each other their intention to marry. What she was doing here now was something he didn't understand.

Hawkins knelt. "Your Majesty."

"Arise, Sir Giacomo, and be well met."

"If it please your Regent, I would prefer to be called Hawkins" the man asked again.

"It does not please me. Until the true heir come of age, it is my solemn vow to run this kingdom by the laws which have been laid down for her. You have been dubbed Sir Giacomo by royal decree; Sir Giacomo you are in all matters of state. And there is a matter in which I must speak to you; I am told that you wish to wed the maiden Jean. Is this your intent?"

"It is, Sire. My love remained unspoken for much time; now that it is returned, I am compelled to take her hand in marriage. Your Majesty...has no problem with marriage does he?" Hawkins asked, a little perplexed.

"None at all; my parents were married, and I myself have entertained the thought. The problem lies in the law" the Regent said, letting out a sigh afterwards.

"The law? Have I broken it? I swear to your Majesty, I..."

"No Sir Giacomo, you have not transgressed any laws that I am aware. But..." he paused with some hesitancy "...I do not wish you to do so now. You know that you and your fellow Knights are held to a higher standard than all the others in service to this kingdom?"

"Well, I haven't looked at t-t-the official rulebook y-y-yet" Hawkins began to stammer. "Things happened so suddenly, it seems like a blur..."

"Of course; your legendary ascension to knighthood in two hours when it normally takes four years is already told around the countryside, so it is understandable if perhaps a few details have escaped your attention."

"Most, I would say" Hawkins muttered to himself.

"But there is a law that states that knights may not enter into marriage for at least one year after attaining that position. It is for the good of the person as well as the kingdom, for there is much to adjust to in the life of a knight and it would be far too easy for some unscrupulous type to take advantage of a man when he is...vulnerable. The maiden Jean is fair, brave and more than worthy of the honor and challenge of being married to a knight of the realm but I'm afraid rules are rules. Your petition for marriage is not denied, but postponed for twelve months. In the meantime, I expect you to behave in a chivalrous manner while you wait; do not disappoint me or the realm. Good day, Sir Giacomo."

Stunned, Hawkins was lead gently away by the captain until they were near the exit. Awakening to the perceived unfairness, he tried to turn around but the captain's grip tightened. "Stay thy tongue, Sir Giacomo. All knights abide by the rules."

"But...but..."

Norbert took over the duties and continued out of the room leading Hawkins. Once out of earshot, he spoke softly to Hawkins. "Where there are rules that prohibit, so can rules also be found that allow, Sir Hubert."

Hawkins stopped objecting and looked at Norbert. He had just called him by his name! "Did you say 'Sir Hubert' just now?"

"I did, but it was for your ears only and it did its duty of getting your attention. I may know a way..."

...

"Are you sure?" Hawkins asked as they stood just inside a side gate to the castle.

"I'm certain" Norbert answered confidently. "You cannot marry for one year after becoming a knight. We cannot change the calendar, so therefore we change the man. If you are not a knight, you can wed. The only way to lose your knighthood is to violate the rules of knighthood, and the best way of doing that is to embarrass the kingdom or the king."

"And they'll unmake me a knight?"

"They'll throw you out so fast your armor will whistle. Here is a bucket of paint and a brush; now do as we planned and paint your message on the castle wall. Hurry, it won't be long until it starts to get light. Write it exactly as I have written and the king will surely be insulted. Go!" Norbert urged.

Hawkins did as he was told, and in the dim predawn light painted his message in large letters on the wall before scurrying away. Hours later, at the morning meeting of the knights, the regent spoke to the group. "Knights of the kingdom! Sometime during the night, some person or persons have marked on the walls of the castle. We must find who is responsible for this act!"

Hawkins stood. "Sire, there is no need to initiate a search, for it was I who did the deed."

The other knights started jabbering simultaneously, but the regent banged on the table and they quieted. "Sir Giacomo, it was you?"

"Aye, Sire. Me, and me alone. Punish me! No loss of liberty would be too great for such a foul..."

"Punish you? I want to _commend_ you!"

"...deed as was...what?" Hawkins brought himself up short. "Commend?"

The regent smiled broadly. "Knights, I urge you to go out and view Sir Giacomo's handiwork. He has warned our enemies of the heavy price they would pay for coming against us. I have already seen one of their agents flee in terror."

"Commend?...But..."

"Yes, your modesty is touching" the regent went on "and a knight should do all he can for the realm. But you've done it with such...such...style!"

"What happened?" Norbert whispered, standing directly behind his master.

"It was so dark I found it difficult to read the note I was copying from; I must have reversed some words" Hawkins muttered back. "Instead of insulting the regent, it would seem I insulted the enemy."

"Where's the note now?"

"I ate it afterwards" he said, gulping at the memory.

...

"Make a right, make a left, make another left, a right and then it's the third house on the left. That's the one you want." Norbert kept his voice low as he gave the instructions to Hawkins at the gate.

"But a nun's house? I don't want to hurt anyone! Not even a pet."

"You won't, Sire. The nun has been away from her home for a week now for religious observances and her pet goose is being taken care of elsewhere. You're sure to enrage the Regent AND the people with an attack against an innocent member of the church."

"I don't like it."

"Do you want to marry the maiden Jean?"

"Oh, I DO like her."

"Then _do_ this. Now hurry, before it gets light."

"Why do we always do these things in the dark?" Hawkins asked.

Later that day...

"...and for burning down the house that was the secret hideout of our enemies to the south, I hereby commend Sir Giacomo!" the Regent declared to the people.

"You made a wrong turn, didn't you?" Norbert whispered from behind again.

"I tripped and got turned around I guess" Hawkins replied quietly. "I told you we should have done it in daylight. No more stuff at night; get it?"

"Got it."

"Good." He continued to wave at the cheering people while his smile was definitely forced.

...

"...and it was Sir Giacomo's innovative and grand idea to stampede the royal herd through the old eastern field, which churned up the soil and has made it possible to easily plant food in it once again."

"They were supposed to go through the center of the village" Norbert whispered. He was getting very good at whispering lately.

"Just my luck one of the knights came out of the village at just that time; the sun reflected off his shield and armor and it scared the cattle in a different direction" Hawkins bemoaned.

"It wouldn't have happened at night" Norbert retorted, unable to resist.

...

Hawkins held his head in his hands.

"He modestly tries to hide his face," the Regent went on "but there sits the knight who single-handedly solved the problem with what to do with the rat-infested ship that lay moored off our shore. In a bold stroke that is still a little vague to me, he sank it, the spoiled cargo, and all the vermin on board. I'm told that the infestation was so great the ship was a total loss anyway; now we have no concerns..."

"I know, I know," Hawkins whispered before Norbert had a chance to say anything "wrong ship."

"...and this ruler has found it difficult to reward so many actions by one person that have benefited the kingdom. It is therefore by royal decree that, in this one instance, a knight of the realm shall be allowed to wed before his first year of service is complete."

Hawkins lifted his head suddenly. Did he hear correctly?

"Sir Giacomo, approach!"

Hawkins jumped quickly to his feet and approached the regent. "I don't know what to say really; but thanks a lot and I really did my best. I mean I could have done better probably but..." Those in attendance gasped as he stood in front of the regent and continued to babble. "...and given enough time I think any man..."

"SIR GIACOMO!" the regent roared. Hawkins stopped in mid utterance and froze, not moving a muscle. The regent lowered his voice and continued. "I understand your excitation, but decorum please! All of the kingdom is to kneel to whomever sits on the throne. I shall allow it once due to your great service of late, but do it again and I shall have your knighthood revoked! You don't want to be thrown out of the knights, do you?"

The End

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**A/N: One of my more favorite musical comedies; Danny Kaye was excellent at the "pitter-patter" type of song that played on both word and sound. I didn't include any of those in this story, but I was thinking that at the end of the movie he was probably still technically a knight. What problem might that cause?**


End file.
